Postoperative cognitive dysfunction (POCD) is a clinically significant complication in elderly patients, largely driven by surgery-induced neuroinflammation. The cyclic GMP-AMP synthase-stimulator of interferon genes (cGAS-STING) pathway, a crucial regulator of innate immunity, has been implicated in neuroinflammatory activation. This study investigated whether electroacupuncture (EA) improves POCD by modulating this pathway in aged rats. Aged male Sprague-Dawley rats were subjected to sevoflurane anesthesia and splenectomy to establish a POCD model. Animals were divided into sham, POCD, POCD+EA, and POCD+EA+cGAS inhibitor groups. The EA groups received stimulation at Baihui (Governor Vessel 20 (GV20)), Neiguan (Pericardium 6 (PC6)), and Zusanli (Stomach 36 (ST36)) acupoints. Cognitive function was evaluated using the Morris water maze, while hippocampal expression of cGAS-STING pathway components and downstream effectors—interferon regulatory factor 3 (IRF3), nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB), and interleukin-1 beta (IL-1β)—was assessed by Western blot. Cellular localization was determined by immunofluorescence staining. Compared with the Sham group, rats in the POCD group showed significant impairments in spatial memory, accompanied by upregulated protein expression of cGAS, STING, NF-κB, IRF3, and IL-1β in the hippocampus. Upon pathway activation, cGAS and STING proteins were predominantly co-localized with neurons, and their fluorescence intensity in the hippocampus was markedly increased. These behavioral deficits and molecular alterations were partially reversed in both the POCD+EA and POCD+EA+inhibitor groups. Electroacupuncture alleviates POCD in aged rats by inhibiting hippocampal cGAS-STING pathway activation and reducing neuroinflammation, suggesting a promising non-pharmacological strategy for POCD management.

Objective To investigate the effects of miR-126 on myocardial remodeling and macrophage polarization after acute myocardial infarction(AMI).Methods(1)Twenty-one rats were divided into a sham operation group and an AMI group.The AMI group was further divided into postoperative days 1,3,5,7,9,and 11 days(AMI-1,AMI-3,AMI-5,AMI-7,AMI-9,AMI-11),with 3 rats in each group,and postoperative day 3 was selected for subsequent study.(2)Thirty rats were randomly divided into three groups:sham operation group,AMI group and miR-126 overexpression group,with 10 rats in each group.RT-qPCR was used to detect the expression levels of miR-126 mRNA.2,3,5-Triphenyltetrazole chloride(TTC)staining was used to detect the infarct size.Myocardial fibrosis was detected by Masson staining.The cross-sectional area of the myocardium was determined by H&E staining.Immunofluorescence staining was used to detect the protein levels of CD86 and CD206 in myocardial tissue.Western blotting was used to detect the protein levels of CD86 and CD206 in myocardial tissue.The levels of tumor necrosis factor-α(TNF-α),interleukin-1β(IL-1β)and IL-6 in serum were detected by ELISA kit.Results Compared with the sham operation group,the expression level of miR-126 mRNA in myocardial tissue of rats in the AMI group was significantly decreased on postoperative day 1(P<0.05),reached the lowest level on postoperative day 3.And then although it rose to a certain extent,it remained lower than that of the sham operation group on postoperative day 11(P<0.05),and postoperative day 3 was selected for further study.Compared with the sham operation group,the expression of miR-126 mRNA in myocardial tissue of the AMI group was decreased(P<0.05),and the myocardial fibrosis,infarct size and myocardial cross-sectional area were increased(P<0.05).The expression of CD86 protein in myocardial tissue was increased and the expression of CD206 protein was decreased(P<0.05).The serum levels of TNF-α,IL-6 and IL-1β were increased(P<0.05).Compared with the AMI group,the rats in the miR-126 overexpression group had a significant increase in the mRNA expression of miR-126 in myocardial tissue(P<0.05),a significant reduction in myocardial fibrosis,infarct size,and myocardial cross-sectional area(P<0.05),a significant reduction in the expression of CD86 protein in myocardial tissue,and a significant increase in the expression of CD206 protein(P<0.05).The serum levels of TNF-α,IL-6 and IL-1β were significantly decreased(P<0.05).Conclusion Over-expression of miR-126 can improve myocardial remodeling and promote M2 macrophage polarization in AMI rats.

Objective To explore the role of cysteine aspartic protease-8(Caspase-8)/gasdermin E(GSDME)pathway in the regulation of macrophage pyroptosis in myocardial infarction(MI)rat model and its possible mechanism.Methods Thirty rats were randomly divided into sham operation group,MI group and Caspase-8 inhibition(Z-IETD-FMK)group,with 10 rats in each group.The cultured rat macrophages RMa-bm were divided into control group,hypoxia group and Z-IETD-FMK group.The pathological changes of myocardial tissue were detected by H&E staining.Masson staining was used to detect myocardial fibrosis.The protein and mRNA levels of Caspase-8 and GSDME in myocardial tissue and Caspase-8,GSDME,NLR family Pyrin domain protein 3(NLRP3),apoptosis-related speck-like protein(ASC)and Caspase-1 in macrophages were detected by RT-qPCR and Western blotting.The levels of IL-1β and IL-18 in macrophages were detected by ELISA.TUNEL staining was used to detect apoptosis of cardiomyocytes and macrophages.Results Compared with the sham operation group,myocardial tissue of rats in MI group was broken and disturbed,inflammatory cell infiltration,a large amount of collagen fiber deposition in the gap,cell apoptosis increased and the expression of Caspase-8,GSDME protein and mRNA in myocardial tissue increased,the differences were statistically significant(t=16.19,27.60;21.18,23.73,all P<0.05).Compared with MI group,Z-IETD-FMK group improved myocardial structural damage,reduced inflammatory cells and collagen deposition,cell apoptosis decreased and decreased Caspase-8,GSDME protein and mRNA expressions in myocardial tissue,with statistical significance(t=20.34,14.56;11.97,24.46,all P<0.05).Compared with the control group,the apoptosis of macrophages in hypoxia group was increased,and the protein and mRNA expressions of Caspase-8,GSDME,NLRP3,ASC,Caspase-1 in macrophages were increased(tprotein=17.53～120.90,tmRNA=18.42～60.30),the contents of IL-1β and IL-18 in macrophages were increased(t=25.88,45.74),and the differences were staistically significant(all P<0.05).Compared with the hypoxia group,the apoptosis of macrophages in Z-IETD-FMK group was decreased,and the protein and mRNA expressions of Caspase-8,GSDME,NLRP3,ASC,Caspase-1 in macrophages were decreased(tprotein=17.08～35.08,tmRNA=11.21～47.96),IL-1β and IL-18 content decreased(t=27.38,25.82),and the differences were staistically significant(all P<0.05),respectively.Conclusion Down-regulating Caspase-8/GSDME pathway can improve myocardial injury and hypoxic macrophage scorch death in MI rats.

Objective To explore the role of cysteine aspartic protease-8(Caspase-8)/gasdermin E(GSDME)pathway in the regulation of macrophage pyroptosis in myocardial infarction(MI)rat model and its possible mechanism.Methods Thirty rats were randomly divided into sham operation group,MI group and Caspase-8 inhibition(Z-IETD-FMK)group,with 10 rats in each group.The cultured rat macrophages RMa-bm were divided into control group,hypoxia group and Z-IETD-FMK group.The pathological changes of myocardial tissue were detected by H&E staining.Masson staining was used to detect myocardial fibrosis.The protein and mRNA levels of Caspase-8 and GSDME in myocardial tissue and Caspase-8,GSDME,NLR family Pyrin domain protein 3(NLRP3),apoptosis-related speck-like protein(ASC)and Caspase-1 in macrophages were detected by RT-qPCR and Western blotting.The levels of IL-1β and IL-18 in macrophages were detected by ELISA.TUNEL staining was used to detect apoptosis of cardiomyocytes and macrophages.Results Compared with the sham operation group,myocardial tissue of rats in MI group was broken and disturbed,inflammatory cell infiltration,a large amount of collagen fiber deposition in the gap,cell apoptosis increased and the expression of Caspase-8,GSDME protein and mRNA in myocardial tissue increased,the differences were statistically significant(t=16.19,27.60;21.18,23.73,all P<0.05).Compared with MI group,Z-IETD-FMK group improved myocardial structural damage,reduced inflammatory cells and collagen deposition,cell apoptosis decreased and decreased Caspase-8,GSDME protein and mRNA expressions in myocardial tissue,with statistical significance(t=20.34,14.56;11.97,24.46,all P<0.05).Compared with the control group,the apoptosis of macrophages in hypoxia group was increased,and the protein and mRNA expressions of Caspase-8,GSDME,NLRP3,ASC,Caspase-1 in macrophages were increased(tprotein=17.53～120.90,tmRNA=18.42～60.30),the contents of IL-1β and IL-18 in macrophages were increased(t=25.88,45.74),and the differences were staistically significant(all P<0.05).Compared with the hypoxia group,the apoptosis of macrophages in Z-IETD-FMK group was decreased,and the protein and mRNA expressions of Caspase-8,GSDME,NLRP3,ASC,Caspase-1 in macrophages were decreased(tprotein=17.08～35.08,tmRNA=11.21～47.96),IL-1β and IL-18 content decreased(t=27.38,25.82),and the differences were staistically significant(all P<0.05),respectively.Conclusion Down-regulating Caspase-8/GSDME pathway can improve myocardial injury and hypoxic macrophage scorch death in MI rats.

Objective To investigate the value of serum cell cycle protein-dependent kinase 1(CDK1)and aurora kinase A(AURKA)in the diagnosis of patients with hepatitis B virus-related hepatocellular carcinoma(HBV-HCC).Methods A total of 50 HBV-HCC patients,50 patients with hepatitis B virus-related liver cirrhosis(HBV-LC),and 50 chronic hepatitis B(CHB)patients who were hospitalized in Department of Gastroenterology,Gansu Provincial Hospital,from June 2022 to December 2023 were enrolled,and 50 healthy individuals,matched for age and sex,who received physical examination at Physical Examination Center during the same period of time were enrolled as control group.Related data were recorded for all patients,including age,sex,complications,and the results of routine blood test,liver function,and coagulation for the first time after admission.ELISA was used to measure the serum levels of CDK1 and AURKA.A one-way analysis of variance was used for comparison of normally distributed continuous data between multiple groups,and the least significant difference t-test was used for further comparison between two groups;the Kruskal-Wallis H test was used for comparison of non-normally distributed continuous data between multiple groups and the least significant difference Bonferroni test was used for further comparison between two groups;the chi-square test or the Fisher's exact test was used for comparison of categorical data between groups.The Spearman correlation analysis was used to investigate the correlation between CDK1 and AURKA,and the receiver operating characteristic(ROC)curve and the area under the ROC curve(AUC)were used to investigate the value of CDK1 and AURKA in the diagnosis of HBV-HCC.Results There were significant differences in liver function parameters between the HBV-HCC patients and the control group(all P<0.05);there were significant differences between the CHB group and the HBV-HCC group in albumin,Glb,direct bilirubin,aspartate aminotransferase(AST),gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase(GGT),and alkaline phosphatase(all P<0.05);there were significant differences between the HBV-LC group and the HBV-HCC group in Glb,AST,and GGT(all P<0.05).The HBV-HCC group had significantly higher serum levels of CDK1 and AURKA than the HBV-LC group,the CHB group,and the control group(all P<0.05).There was a significant positive correlation between CDK1 and AURKA in the overall study population and the HBV-HCC patients(r=0.526 6 and 0.815 2,P<0.001).With the control group as reference,CDK1 had an AUC of 0.832 3 in the diagnosis of HBV-HCC,with a sensitivity of 92.86%and a specificity of 75%,and AURKA had an AUC of 0.886 6 in the diagnosis of HCC,with a sensitivity of 95.80%and a specificity of 74%.With the CHB group as reference,CDK1 had an AUC of 0.833 3 in the diagnosis of HBV-HCC,with a sensitivity of 93.75%and a specificity of 75%,and AURKA had an AUC of 0.972 7 in the diagnosis of HBV-HCC,with a sensitivity of 95.83%and a specificity of 91.67%.With the HBV-LC group as reference,CDK1 had an AUC of 0.608 5 in the diagnosis of HBV-HCC,with a sensitivity of 66.67%and a specificity of 54.17%,and AURKA had an AUC of 0.762 2 in the diagnosis of HBV-HCC,with a sensitivity of 95.83%and a specificity of 47.92%.Conclusion The serum levels of CDK1 and AURKA increase with the progression of hepatitis B-associated chronic liver disease,and significant increases in serum CDK1 and AURKA have a certain value in the diagnosis of HBV-HCC.

Objective:To evaluate the diagnostic efficacy and practicality of the Jaundice color card (JCard) as a screening tool for neonatal jaundice.Methods:Following the standards for reporting of diagnostic accuracy studies (STARD) statement, a multicenter prospective study was conducted in 9 hospitals in China from October 2019 to September 2021. A total of 845 newborns who were admitted to the hospital or outpatient department for liver function testing due to their own diseases. The inclusion criteria were a gestational age of ≥35 weeks, a birth weight of ≥2 000 g, and an age of ≤28 days. The neonate′s parents used the JCard to measure jaundice at the neonate′s cheek. Within 2 hours of the JCard measurement, transcutaneous bilirubin (TcB) was measured with a JH20-1B device and total serum bilirubin (TSB) was detected. The Pearson′s correlation analysis, Bland-Altman plots and the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve were used for statistic analysis.Results:Out of the 854 newborns, 445 were male and 409 were female; 46 were born at 35-36 weeks of gestational age and 808 were born at ≥37 weeks of gestational age. Additionally, 432 cases were aged 0-3 days, 236 cases were aged 4-7 days, and 186 cases were aged 8-28 days. The TSB level was (227.4±89.6) μmol/L, with a range of 23.7-717.0 μmol/L. The JCard level was (221.4±77.0) μmol/L and the TcB level was (252.5±76.0) μmol/L. Both the JCard and TcB values showed good correlation ( r=0.77 and 0.80, respectively) and agreements (96.0% (820/854) and 95.2% (813/854) of samples fell within the 95% limits of agreement, respectively) with TSB. The JCard value of 12 had a sensitivity of 0.93 and specificity of 0.75 for identifying a TSB ≥205.2?μmol/L, and a sensitivity of 1.00 and specificity of 0.35 for identifying a TSB ≥342.0?μmol/L. The TcB value of 205.2?μmol/L had a sensitivity of 0.97 and specificity of 0.60 for identifying TSB levels of 205.2 μmol/L, and a sensitivity of 1.00 and specificity of 0.26 for identifying TSB levels of 342.0 μmol/L. The areas under the ROC curve (AUC) of JCard for identifying TSB levels of 153.9, 205.2, 256.5, and 342.0 μmol/L were 0.96, 0.92, 0.83, and 0.83, respectively. The AUC of TcB were 0.94, 0.91, 0.86, and 0.87, respectively. There were both no significant differences between the AUC of JCard and TcB in identifying TSB levels of 153.9 and 205.2 μmol/L (both P>0.05). However, the AUC of JCard were both lower than those of TcB in identifying TSB levels of 256.5 and 342.0 μmol/L (both P<0.05). Conclusions:JCard can be used to classify different levels of bilirubin, but its diagnostic efficacy decreases with increasing bilirubin levels. When TSB level are ≤205.2 μmol/L, its diagnostic efficacy is equivalent to that of the JH20-1B. To prevent the misdiagnosis of severe jaundice, it is recommended that parents use a low JCard score, such as 12, to identify severe hyperbilirubinemia (TSB ≥342.0 μmol/L).

Objective To investigate the value of minimum apparent diffusion coefficient(ADCmin)and delta apparent diffusion coefficient(dADC)of quantitative parameters of MR diffusion weighted imaging(DWI)in differentiating benign from stage Ⅰ malignant ovarian epithelial tumors.Methods A total of 112 patients with primary ovarian epithelial tumors confirmed by operation and pathology(43 benign tumors and 69 stage Ⅰ malignant tumors)were retrospectively selected.All patients underwent routine MRI and DWI before operation.The ADCmin and dADC of solid portion were measured and compared between the two groups.Logistic regression anal-ysis and receiver operating characteristic(ROC)curve were used to evaluate diagnostic performance of each parameter alone and in combination in differentiating ovarian epithelial benign and stage Ⅰ malignant tumors.Results The ADCmin was greater in benign tumors than that in stage Ⅰ malignant tumors,while dADC was smaller in benign tumors than that in stage Ⅰ malignant tumors(P＜0.05).Logis-tic regression analysis showed that ADCmin and dADC were independent risk factors for stage Ⅰ malignant tumors.With threshold of 1.183 × 10-3 mm2/s for ADCmin and 0.579 × 10-3 mm2/s for dADC,the area under the curve(AUC)was 0.802 and 0.857,sensitivity and specificity of 0.885,0.808,0.714,0.857,respectively.According to regression equation logit(P)=7.154+0.267 × dADC-1.016 X ADCmin,the AUC(0.951)was greater than that of single parameter,the sensitivity was 0.890,the specificity was 0.995.Conclusion ADCmin and dADC are useful for differentiating ovarian epithelial benign from stage Ⅰ malignant tumors,and ADCmin combined with dADC can improve the diagnose accuracy before operation.

Hepatocellular carcinoma （HCC） is a common tumor in the digestive tract， the formation mechanism of which remains to be fully elucidated. Although surgery， radiation， chemotherapy， targeted therapy， and immunotherapy have achieved significant results in the treatment of HCC， these methods are accompanied by a considerable number of adverse reactions and complications. In recent years， Chinese medicine has shown remarkable efficacy in the treatment of HCC， and both basic experiments and clinical studies have confirmed the effectiveness of Chinese medicine， which exerts therapeutic effects via multiple components and multiple targets. However， the pathogenesis of HCC is exceptionally complex and not fully understood， which means that studies remain to be carried out regarding the specific mechanism of Chinese medicine in preventing and treating HCC. Network pharmacology and molecular biology can be employed to decipher the mechanism of Chinese medicine in the treatment of diseases. Studies have shown that Chinese medicine can regulate various pathways such as the mitogen-activated protein kinase （MAPK）， phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase/protein kinase B （PI3K/Akt）， Hedgehog， Wnt/β-catenin， nuclear factor-κB （NF-κB）， Janus kinase 2/signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 （JAK2/STAT3）， and transforming growth factor-β （TGF-β）/Smad signaling pathways. Chinese medicine can exhibit its anti-HCC effects by inducing cell apoptosis， inhibiting cell proliferation and migration， and blocking the cell cycle via the above pathways. However， the specific mechanisms remain to be systematically studied. This study comprehensively reviews the regulatory effects of Chinese medicine on HCC-related signaling pathways to reveal the molecular mechanisms of Chinese medicine in the treatment of HCC. This view holds the promise of providing new targets， new perspectives， and new therapies for HCC treatment and advancing the modernization and development of Chinese medicine.

Objective: To describe the prevalence and association of dietary rhythm and depressive symptoms among adolescents, so as to provide a basis for improving unhealthy behavioral habits,and to promote adolescent physical and mental health. Methods: From October to December 2021, a total of 22 868 students were selected from one middle school and high school in urban and rural areas of eight cities, namely, Shenyang, Xuzhou, Shenzhen, Taiyuan, Nanchang, Zhengzhou, Chongqing, and Kunming cities, China, using a combination of purposive sampling and stratified cluster random sampling. A self administered questionnaire was used to assess adolescents dietary rhythm, and the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9) was used to assess depressive symptoms. Binary Logistic regression model was employed to analyze the associations between adolescent dietary rhythm and depressive symptoms, while the associations between adolescent dietary rhythm and depressive symptoms across gender and physical activity levels were stratified by gender and physical activity levels. Results: The detection rate of depressive symptoms in adolescents was 44.4%. The respective differences in the detection rates of depressive symptoms among adolescents of different genders, physical activity levels, and dietary rhythm disorders were statistically significant ( χ 2=157.51, 105.02, 3 282.50, P <0.01). Taking the low disordered dietary rhythm group as the reference, binary Logistic regression analyses showed that after adjusting for confounding factors such as age, gender，family location, family economic situation, whether only child, parental education level, and learning burden, physical activity levels, depressive symptoms were positively correlated with adolescents in the moderate disordered dietary rhythm group ( OR=2.63, 95%CI =2.45-2.83) and the high disordered dietary rhythm group ( OR=6.38, 95%CI = 5.93- 6.86). In addition, after stratifying by gender, dietary rhythm were positively correlated with depressive symptoms. The moderate disordered group (male: OR=2.62, 95%CI =2.37-2.89, female: OR=2.67, 95%CI =2.40-2.97) and the highly disordered group (male: OR=5.74, 95%CI =5.19-6.35, female: OR=7.11, 95%CI =6.40-7.89) were positively correlated with depressive symptoms. After stratification by physical activity levels, low, moderate and above physical activity levels among adolescents in the disordered dietary rhythm group (low physical activity: OR=2.91, 95%CI =2.58-3.29, moderate and above physical activity: OR= 2.50, 95%CI =2.28-2.74), high disordered group (low physical activity: OR=6.51, 95%CI =5.94- 7.13 , moderate and higher physical activity: OR=6.18, 95%CI =5.47-6.97) were positively associated with depressive symptoms ( P <0.01). There was an interaction between dietary rhythm and physical activity levels in regard to the development of depressive symptoms in adolescents, taking the group with moderate and above physical activity levels and low disordered dietary rhythm as the reference,the detection rate of which was higher in adolescents with low levels of physical activity and those in the moderate or high disordered dietary rhythm group ( OR=1.50, 3.90, 95%CI=1.39-1.61, 3.63-4.19, P <0.01). Conclusions Dietary rhythm disorders were found to be positively associated with depressive symptoms in adolescents. Regular dietary behaviors and increased physical activity play an important positive role in promoting adolescent mental health.

Objective To investigate the effects of calcitriol intervention on PI3K/AKT signaling pathway and wound healing in rats with diabetic foot ulcer(DFU).Methods Thirty-two male SD rats were divided into normal control(Con)group,DFU group,calcitriol low dose(L)group and calcitriol high dose(H)group.A circular wound of 5 mm in diameter and deep to the fascia was made on the dorsum of the left foot of rats in each group.HE staining was used to evaluate the histopathological changes of the wounds.Immunohistochemical method was selected to compare the distribution of CD34-positive cells and the expression of p-PI3K and p-AKT in traumatic tissues of each group.ELISA was adopted in the detection of serum IL-6,IFN-γ,TNF-α and IL-7.RT-PCR was used to detect the mRNA expression of PI3K and AKT in each group,and western blot was used to detect the protein expression of PI3K,p-PI3K,AKT,p-AKT and VEGF.Results Compared with Con group,the expressions of IL-6,IFN-γ,TNF-α,IL-7,CD34,PI3K mRNA,AKT mRNA,p-AKT protein,p-PI3K protein,p-PI3K/PI3K,p-AKT/AKT increased,while PI3K protein expression decreased in DFU,L and H groups(P<0.05),VEGF and AKT protein expression decreased in DFV and L groups(P<0.05).Compared with DFU group,the expressions of VEGF,AKT and PI3K protein increased(P<0.05),while the expressions of p-PI3K/PI3K,p-AKT/AKT decreased in L and H groups(P<0.05),IL-6 decreased in L group(P<0.05),and CD34 expression increased in H group(P<0.05),while IL-6,IFN-γ,TNF-α and IL-7,PI3K mRNA,AKT mRNA,p-AKT protein and p-PI3K protein expression decreased(P<0.05).Compared with L group,the expressions of CD34,VEGF,AKT and PI3K protein increased(P<0.05),while IL-6,PI3K mRNA,AKT mRNA,p-AKT protein,p-PI3K protein,p-PI3K/PI3K and p-AKT/AKT decreased in H group(P<0.05).Conclusions Calcitriol intervention may reduce the activity of the PI3K/AKT signaling pathway,inhibit inflammation,promote neovascularization,and facilitate wound healing in rats with DFU.